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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Little dogs of all breeds and sizes are certainly extremely cute. But that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have the same guidelines, boundaries and daily structure that a larger dog would have. In fact, it’s even more important to make sure that little dogs follow the rules because, sadly, they are more susceptible to becoming stressed, fearful and anxiety-ridden if this isn’t fulfilled daily and may possibly fall prey to Small Dog Syndrome.

Small Dog Syndrome is a situation which occurs when a small dog exhibits negative behavioral tendencies including aggressive and/or territorial behavior resulting from fear or anxiety or both.

This is often a direct byproduct of lack of leadership and direction on the part of the human caregiver for the small dog to follow. This can be avoided entirely by providing proper leadership and guidance. Take time to teach your dog a new command such as “sit,” “stay,” “come,” “focus,” or “leave it,”, etc, among many others for a few minutes each day.

Take your dog for a walk daily and provide a daily routine, safe boundaries and structure for your dog to follow.

For more information on leadership skills and training tips, go to my website at PeaceInThePack.com.